also, all believers are "seated in heavenly places in Christ"...."One with God".
Thats the "New Creation"..(not the body)..... as Thats one of the eternal effects of being born again.
Eph 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
Eph 2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—
Eph 2:3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
Eph 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,
Eph 2:5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Eph 2:6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
Eph 2:7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Eph 2:9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
For we are His workmanship
A reason why no man should glory. If we are God's workmanship, our salvation cannot be of ourselves. His is emphatic. His workmanship are we.
Created (κτισθέντες)
See on Joh_1:3. The verb originally means to make habitable, to people. Hence to found. God is called κτίστης creator, 1Pe_4:19, and ὁ κτίσας he that created, Rom_1:25. Compare Rev_4:11. Κτίσις is used of the whole sum of created things, Mar_10:6; Rom_8:22.
Afore prepared (προητοίμασεν)
Rev, more correctly, prepared. Made ready beforehand. God prearranged a sphere of moral action for us to walk in. Not only are works the necessary outcome of faith, but the character and direction of the works are made ready by God.
That we should walk
In order that; to the end that.
Vincent
Would you classify that as works?
Have i asked you any questions, other then...."why only the endless cut and paste".
Ive asked you that a few times.
Other questions?.......hummm..
So, read this with your NT turned to "Paul's Epistles".
Like I have said, you are not my rabbi, you seem to be sitting on a holy cloud, no earthly good,
and again and again avoiding our "part" of the Covenant, obedience.
Php 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence,
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
...see here, perseverance, endurance...see the Morphologies on this is binding upon US to work....out OUR salvation....no need for you, rabbi, to work on my salvation. get that?
Php 2:13
for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
...this is God's "part" if I may, in the Covenant relationship, to work, to will, for His good pleasure, not that difficult to comprehend, our responsibilities, God to do what He does best.
Php 2:14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing,
Php 2:15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
Php 2:16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Reminds me of Matt 25.
Are you doing something in the basileia ton Theou?
Or are you going to say, Oh, this is not applicable for us "Christians"
Jas 1:19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
Jas 1:20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Jas 1:21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Jas 1:22
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Jas 1:23
For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
Jas 1:24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
Jas 1:25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Jas 1:26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.
Jas 1:27 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
Jas 2:14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,
Jas 2:16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
Jas 2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Jas 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Jas 2:20
Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?
Jas 2:21
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?
Jas 2:22
You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;
Jas 2:23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.
Jas 2:24
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.
Jas 2:25
And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
You should preach a sermon on this, in which you are in denial of.
J.